1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrophotographic reproduction apparatus and method and, more specifically, to improvements in reproducing documents with variable information using supplementary electronic writers.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,164, apparatus is described for producing reproductions of an original wherein the reproductions contain additional variable information. Such reproductions may take the form of letters wherein the body of the letter is the constant information; i.e., the same for all the reproductions but variable information such as addresses or the like will differ from copy to copy in a set of reproductions. In order to accomplish this, the prior art apparatus employs black cover papers or the like which are used to cover the areas on the original corresponding to those where the variable information is to be written. The original with the areas appropriately masked are placed on the exposure platen and a scanning reproduction is made wherein a predetermined time is provided for the copying reproduction of the optically reproduced document portions and a predetermined time is provided for the reproduction of the variable information employing a laser beam scanner or the like.
A problem with the apparatus described is its slowness in reproducing many copies which is typical of optical exposures employing a scanning exposure of the original. A further problem is the need to have information along at least one dimension of the document be either all variable or all constant due to the nature of a scanning type exposure system and timing of the copying operation when not employing the laser beam exposure.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a highly productive reproduction apparatus for providing reproductions of originals with both constant and variable information.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a reproduction apparatus for providing reproductions of originals with both constant and variable information and wherein the locations of the constant and variable information are more flexible than suggested by the prior art apparatus.